Turn Back Time
by klutzysunshine
Summary: The Kree Stone sends Jemma back in time prior to Hydra's uprising so she can fix what went wrong.


**I don't own Agents of SHIELD nor will I ever. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Author's Note** : Abuse is mentioned.

* * *

Jemma continued to scream even after she realized that she wasn't being dragged away anymore and was in fact standing in the rock. How, she didn't know, but she was too freaked out to question it. "Let me go!" she pleaded with tears pouring down her face but wasn't surprised when nothing happened. "Please!" she tried to no avail. Why was she even asking an alien rock to do anything in the first place? Granted, it had taken her against her will but it was a rock. This fucking thing was probably going to kill her so what was it waiting for?

She startled when an image appeared on the screen and bit her lip when she saw a young boy, one who looked familiar but she couldn't place. "What is this?" Jemma murmured. She let out a horrified gasp when John Garrett sat down and started talking to the boy she now recognized as a teenaged Grant Ward.

"This is the moment that John Garrett kidnapped a minor Grant Ward," a deep raspy voice answered from above Jemma.

The fucking rock could talk? Well, that wasn't the strangest thing about this so Jemma shrugged it off and continued to watch the events unfolding on screen. "He just dumped a teenage boy in the woods with only a dog for companionship?" She felt sick and it only worsened when it took Garrett six months to return. She started crying the first time Garrett struck Grant to "teach him a lesson" and didn't stop as the flashes continued. Her heart broke for the vulnerable young boy who didn't realize what had happened to him.

And when Garrett ordered Grant to kill Buddy - his best friend - Jemma's heart started pounding. She was relieved when Grant scared the dog away and anger surged when Garrett shot the dog anyway then beat the young man. "This is how Grant Ward and John Garrett continued to live their lives for the next ten years," the voice intoned.

"This gets worse, doesn't it!?" she cried hysterically.

The flashes started showing Grant's life on the Bus - where he was finally with a team, a family that loved him - but he couldn't quite escape Garrett's grasp. When Hydra rose, she clapped a hand over her mouth to quell the nausea after Garrett beat Grant again to "sell the cover". Jemma wished someone had gotten to him sooner, like Coulson, to prevent this horror from ever happening.

"Fantastic, you know where this heading then."

Then the images skipped some time and suddenly Grant was confronting Christian. When Christian admitted to the abuse, she understood why Grant had killed his family and burned his house to the ground. When Grant accidentally killed Kara - which is what led to him finally snapping, Jemma was ready to go home and find him so she could knock some sense into him. The world had been against him from the very beginning and it wasn't fair. "So what am I supposed to do with this information?" she questioned when the screen finally went black.

"You are going back to a set point in time to fix what went wrong."

"How far back? And what will happen to the current timeline? My friends must be worried sick." Jemma didn't want to leave them. She had a date too!

"They are currently frantically looking for you but the timeline will be erased once you start changing events," the voice answered.

"Will I know what needs to be fixed first?"

"Yes. Good luck, Jemma Simmons. You'll need it."

* * *

Jemma screamed when the blob grabbed her again and she was spit back out on the lab on the Bus they had just recently lost. She was brushing herself off when Fitz and Grant burst into the room. She teared upon seeing both of them and tried to pull herself together. "Are you hurt? What happened?" Fitz asked.

"Do I need to kill someone?" Grant asked.

She shook her head and then rushed to hug both of them, who were confused (and Jemma didn't miss Grant's flinch) but embraced her anyway. "I'm fine. What's happening?"

"Nothing. Skye's found a lead on Ian Quinn so we have our next case."

Shit. She had been hurled back in time to before Skye's shooting and Hydra's uprising. Jemma didn't think she had enough time to stop them but the least she could do was warn Fury about them because he deserved to be prepared. "Oh, fantastic." Was she supposed to prevent Skye's shooting and save Mike from Hydra's clutches? And could she tell anybody about the time traveling she had done? That seemed to go against the advice of every science fiction movie Fitz forced her to watch.

"You sure you're alright? You look like you're about to be sick," Grant observed.

She shook her head. "Just got the wind knocked out of me. Don't worry, I'm fine." At least she stop the anticipated chain of events on the train and at Quinn's mansion.

Grant and Fitz still couldn't stop eying her in concern but Jemma - who had been hiding how she truly felt for well over a year now - soldiered on and pretended that nothing was amiss. At least it seemed to be working.

"You look a little off," Skye observed right before they boarded the train.

Jemma made sure she still had the real gun she had stolen from Coulson's office and shrugged. "Just a bad feeling about this mission," she murmured.

Skye bought it and continued squabbling with Fitz. Jemma enjoyed freaking out Coulson again with her undercover persona and really got into this time.

This time, she was prepared and ICED the bad guys who had been after Fitz and Skye. When Skye wanted to go into Quinn's mansion alone, she put her foot down. "All three of us or nothing," she insisted.

Fitz stared at her in confusion, noting her odd behavior once again. He was determined to confront her about it after they completed the mission but they couldn't afford to be distracted now.

When Fitz went off in one direction, Jemma pretended to go in another but then proceeded to follow Skye down to the basement. She made sure that her friend didn't see her and when Ian Quinn showed up and got out her gun, she saw an opportunity. With every ounce of determination she had left, she shot him multiple time and didn't feel any guilt when he collapsed to the ground, obviously dead.

Skye's mouth dropped open and she stared at her friend in shock and horror. "Jemma, what the fuck?"

"It was self-defense. He was going to kill you, Skye! I did what I had to to protect you and our team." And then she really did burst into tears and set the gun down with shaking hands.

The sound of gunshots brought the rest of the team in. "What happened?" May demanded.

"Quinn was about to shoot me but Jemma swooped in with a real gun and killed him," Skye answered for her.

"I had to save her," Jemma wailed.

"Nobody blames you, Simmons. We understand," Coulson soothed before pulling her into a hug as Grant picked up the gun.

When Garrett showed up to question her about the shooting because his team was supposed to be investigating Ian Quinn, Jemma resisted the urge to kill the abusive psychopath too. Nobody would understand and she wasn't ready to tell them yet, if ever.

"You protected your friend. Nobody's angry with you for that," a smirking Garrett assured her.

Jemma wanted to punch him right in the face to see how he liked it but she reigned herself in. What was the matter with her? "I know that. I protected my friend and there's nothing to be upset about."

She tiptoed around the plane and eavesdropped on Grant and Garrett's conversation before he and Trip departed the plane (her heart ached when she saw him again). "Boy, you better hope that this doesn't fuck up our plans," Garrett hissed.

"You were going to kill Skye. There's nothing okay about that," Grant replied back angrily.

"Watch your tone with me."

"We can figure out how Coulson was resurrected another way. Skye's innocent and was defenseless. We're lucky Jemma was there to stop him!"

She clapped a hand over her mouth when Garrett struck him. "I warned, you didn't I, boy? You never learn your lesson."

"You're right, just like always. This on me." Grant looked so defeated she wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and hug him until he felt better.

Jemma's anger bubbled. Grant wasn't at fault for this and she was going to try to get through to him. Confronting him about what she just saw was the first step but she wavered on whether or not to tell him about the time travel. She felt relieved when Trip showed up to say goodbyes and then left with Garrett.

Grant seemed off about that and although no one else knew why, Jemma didn't look forward to how hard it would be to get through to the specialist. And it didn't help that Fitz kept looking at her suspiciously. "That's a nasty looking bruise," she said as she sat down on the couch in the common area once everyone else went off to bed.

He froze for a brief second but then relaxed. "It's fine. Just another day on the job."

She took a deep breath and then exhaled. "Grant, I saw Garrett strike you. Why did he do that?" Jemma figured he'd lie and she was prepared for that.

Grant flinched. "You saw wrong, Jemma. Garrett didn't hit me. He's my SO and just wants what's best for me.

He couldn't even see it, could he? That was one of the most horrifying aspects of this. "So then what did I see? Can you come up with a convincing lie for what is very clearly abuse? Just tell me the truth, Grant. Please. No one will judge or blame you."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Simmons. Let it go." The defensiveness didn't surprise her. He stood up. "I'm going to bed and we'll just pretend it never happened."

Jemma waited until he was halfway down the hall before she called out to Grant. "Like you always do?"

Grant turned around and stared at her. "What?"

Fuck the time travel rules. The rock would probably just let her fix it again anyway, right? It was alien and could do anything it wanted. Jemma's heart was beating so loud and so fast she could barely hear herself think. "This isn't the first nor will it be the last. You may think you owe everything to John Garrett, but he's using you. All he cares about is himself, Grant. It's on SHIELD that they allowed this to happen and never even realized it."

"What are you talking about? How do you know these things?" He was absolutely terrified - an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time - and didn't know why.

"You're going to find this unbelievable. I know that Hydra's still out there, hiding in the shadows. I know you were sent undercover to find out how Dir. … Agent Coulson was resurrected. I know that despite Garrett telling you it's a weakness, you care about us."

His mouth dropped open and his palms began to sweat. "Who are you?"

"I'm Jemma Simmons but not the one you know. An alien rock sent me back in time, as stupid as it sounds. I'm from a year in the future. You betrayed us because of that sick fuck who 'rescued you'. He didn't do shit except turn you into a weapon, Grant. I know you care about him but how can you after what he did to Buddy. That dog was your best friend for five years and he ordered you to kill him."

"I need to sit down." He felt lightheaded and so he didn't protest when Jemma led him back to the couch.

"Are you feeling sick? Do I need to rush you to the bathroom?" she asked in concern.

Grant shook his head. "It's not abuse," he tried.

"Let's look at the facts. You know your mother and Christian - probably your father too - were abusive, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah." He didn't even question the ludicrous time travel story because they had seen a lot of strange shit in this world.

"Garrett is exactly like them. He took advantage of a scared teenage boy then abducted him from a government facility. He hits you. I'm sure that happened to you with your family, right? I know this is hard to hear but it's the truth. I just want you to be safe."

"Can I have some time to myself?" Grant couldn't even think straight.

"Of course." She was just about to head to the empty cockpit after he disappeared when Fitz appeared in front of her. "You startled me, Fitz! Be careful," she scolded.

"You time traveled and didn't tell me?" he accused.

Oh no. "How much did you hear?"

"Everything."

"Well then you know why I'm here and why I need to stop what's next. Now I'm going to call Nick Fury so come with me if you want to know more." She needed to relax and go to bed.

Fortunately for her, Fury picked up after a few rings and although he was surprised to hear from her, he listened to her Hydra tale without saying anything. "And how did you discover this?"

Fitz went to answer but Jemma held a finger up. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that, sir. Oh, I'm not a sleeper agent for them, however. That was never an option. I figured you deserved to know."

"Thank you, Agent Simmons. I'll get back in touch with you because I'm anxious to hear the full story." The director knew she wasn't telling him everything but chose not to call her out on it because he figured he'd hear it later.

Fitz just looked excited when she hung up. "Can you tell me something? How did it happen?"

Jemma rolled her eyes. "No. There are rules involved here! Haven't you been drilling that into my head for years?"

"That you already broke so why does it even matter anymore?" he pointed out.

"Stop begging because I'm not going to tell you." She grinned at the look of indignation on his face.

They bickered all the way to their bunks.

* * *

Three days later, after trying to avoid Jemma and failing, a worried (and scared) Grant finally decided to talk to her so he waited at her bunk door. "I've been thinking about what you said," he hesitantly admitted.

She smiled at him. "And?"

"I should tell someone about Garrett?" He didn't know why he had phrased it as a question.

"Yes. He deserves to pay for what he did to you."

They were interrupted when Skye burst into the room with May not far behind her. "You're hiding something and I want to know what it is."

"I tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen." May just shrugged.

Jemma snorted even as Grant put his defenses back up. "It's fine."

"Tell me," an impatient and annoyed Skye ordered.

"Maybe she can't tell us," May pointed out.

"Fitz and Ward know so it's obviously important. Why are you hiding this from me?" Skye felt betrayed. Jemma was her friend. Why wouldn't she come to her with whatever this is?"

She rolled her eyes. "Gather everyone around and I'll tell you in about an hour or so. I just need to talk to Grant right now."

"Let's go," May ordered and she ushered a glaring Skye out of Grant's bunk.

"I'll be right there for support when you tell Director Fury. You don't need to do this alone anymore."

"Thanks, Simmons." He still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that she had time traveled but he was glad she wasn't judging him or angry.

Coulson and Skye's mouths dropped open when Jemma revealed the truth to them but May wasn't surprised. "You've been acting odd and I put two and two together when you acted like something had happened before and were prepared for it. That's how you knew Quinn was going to shoot Skye," she explained.

"I just can't believe time travel exists. This is amazing. So are you in an alternate universe now?"

"I assume so," Jemma answered. She had been thinking about that for days now and still hadn't come up with a concrete answer. Had the timeline she come from been erased already?

* * *

When Grant met with Fury - after coming clean to the team with FitzSimmons' support - the others were right there supporting him. "I'm sorry that this happened to you for so long and we were unaware," a horrified Maria murmured.

"We'll make sure it never happens again," Fury promised.

"Thank you, sir." He felt guilty that Garrett was going to be locked away in the Fridge but the therapist Jemma ordered him to (May's ex-husband, surprisingly) was slowly helping him come to terms with and accept the truth - he had been a victim all his life.

"You're welcome. And Agent Simmons, can I speak to you alone?"

Jemma nodded and watched the others walk out of the room. "Yes, sir?"

"How did you get sent back?"

"Sent back?" How had he figured it out?

"You're not the first time traveler we've come across. Timelines keep getting rewritten and I assume you've been sent back for a reason."

She nodded. "Where I come from, everything is terrible. I got taken by an alien rock of all things and I am determined to make a change, Director. I've already done so - at least I hope."

"Good luck, Agent Simmons."

"Thank you."

"See you in another time." Maria winked at her and then departed Fury's office.

When Jemma got back to the Bus, the first thing she did was demand they play a game for relaxation.

* * *

A week later, all hell broke last. She hadn't warned them in enough time about Hydra but at least they were all prepared for the uprising. And at least May and Coulson were on even ground after she forced the former specialist to tell their boss the truth. Coulson was betrayed but at least he hadn't found other some other way like last time.

Garrett was exposed at the Clairvoyant and sent packing to the Fridge. Because of Jemma and Skye pleading, Grant stayed back and went with them to Providence (some of that was probably due to the make-out session in the closet Jemma wasn't supposed to know about).

They had eaten dinner and Jemma was finishing up the dishes when she heard the noise from hell again that haunted her nightmares. "Fuck me," she muttered when the alien blob reappeared and dragged her away again.

"Congratulations, you have changed the timeline. John Garrett is at the Fridge and it hasn't fallen. Grant Ward has been diverted from the path that he was on," the voice informed her.

"What's going to happen to me now?"

"You're going to get sent back to the future - the new one, of course. The old timeline no longer exists."

"Thank you." And Jemma didn't even have time to scream before she was spit back out on the floor of the Playground. Why were they here? Based on what Fitz had told her, it'd probably take a while for her memories to catch back up with her and she'd remember what happened in both timelines.

Skye came rushing in with Grant hot at her feet less than a minute after. "You're back!"

"How long was I gone?"

"The longest month of our lives. We were worried but we knew you'd be back." Skye and Grant threw their arms around her as the others rushed in.

"I'm proud of you," Coulson told her.

"Thank you, sir." She teared up and wiped them off her cheeks, hugging Trip tighter than anyone.

The old (darkest) timeline was still out there - now a parallel universe - but Jemma refused to think about it because the team was still together and stronger than ever. They could deal with anything life threw at them now. And she couldn't wait to see what the new future was like with everyone by her side, happy and supportive of one another.


End file.
